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The statewide wave of COVID-related high school football game cancellations and changes hit the West Valley in earnest this week.
The Millennium and Verrado football teams cannot play Friday. These Agua Fria Union High School District rivals faced off on Oct. 16 and a positive COVID-19 test from a player involved in that game over the weekend caused both teams to quarantine 14 days and miss the next two games - the district confirmed Wednesday morning.
While the Millennium varsity and junior varsity games are canceled, the freshman team will be able to play the next two weeks
Millennium was to host Sunrise Mountain Friday while Verrado had a home game against Valley Vista. Instead, Valley Vista (2-1) plays host to Sunrise Mountain (3-0) for a varsity game Oct. 23. Sunrise Mountain will host a JV game between the schools Oct. 22.
Valley Vista athletic director Brad Larremore confirmed the scheduling change Wednesday morning.
"Well basically we've adopted a day by day mindset. Since we just want to play a game, I think it's easier on the players than the coaches," said Valley Vista coach Josh SeKoch Wednesday, as he started to watch film of the Mustangs.
Valley Vista already had to cancel its next two freshmen football games because of a COVID case . Larremore said someone with the freshman program tested positive during the school's fall break so there were no situations where the virus could have spread to the other Monsoon teams.
Meanwhile, the Peoria High School freshman team had to cancel its Sept. 14 game with Greenway after a COVID case and will not play again until Oct. 28 at Northwest Christian. The Crusaders already missed a varsity game due to a junior level teacher testing positive.
And the spread is not limited to football. In 4A volleyball #6 ranked Deer Valley had to cancel its anticipated Oct. 20 rematch with #4 Scottsdale Notre Dame Prep.
A Saints JV player tested positive and the trip was off from Scottsdale. Deer Valley athletic director Stacy Spencer said the schools will play a varsity match only at 5 p.m. Monday, Oct. 26 at Deer Valley.
Richard Smith Associate Editor | Surprise & West Valley Preps @rsmithYWV
Richard Smith has been with Independent Newsmedia since 2016, and worked at a Sun City-based news outfit covering the Northwest Valley for 22 consecutive years.
An NAU alum and lifelong Arizona resident, Richard began as a copy editor and page designer at Surprise Today and the Daily News-Sun, then rekindled his love of sports writing by taking the reins on West Valley Preps in 2008.
For most of the mid-2010s he was the Surprise editor and West Valley Preps reporter. Now he’s the West Valley Preps Editor and Surprise Associate Editor.
As COVID restrictions slowly lift, Richard is cautiously optimistic he will visit book stores, football fields and gyms again this fall.